Mobile-Static M 0 27 1960

Walter Leblanc created this artwork, Mobile-Static M 0 27, with paint and likely a very careful, labor-intensive process. The visual effect is of two fields of vertical stripes, red and blue, their lower registers converging like stalactites and stalagmites in a cave. This may be a painting, but the precision and orderliness of its composition suggest the mindset of a designer. The interplay of colors creates a sense of movement, despite the static nature of the medium. Leblanc’s application of paint speaks to the amount of manual effort involved, as well as his close engagement with materials. In Leblanc’s hands, the traditionally separate realms of painting and industrial design come together. The final piece bridges fine art and craft, urging us to appreciate the skill in its making, and in turn, expand our view of what art can be.